"Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie's choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic," Pitt, 49, tells The London Evening Standard. "I thank our medical team for their care and focus. All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family."

Jolie credited her fiance with giving her strength after learning she carries the BRCA1 gene, which increases her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. The 37-year-old Maleficent star had her first surgery in February and completed her final follow-up procedure on Apr. 27.

"I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive," Jolie wrote. "So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center [in Beverly Hills], where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."